US warns travellers of crime risk in Honduras

WASHINGTON: The United States warned US nationals traveling to Honduras to exercise caution in light of the high crime rates in the Central American country, which has the world's highest murder rate.

The US State Department said San Pedro Sula "is considered to be the world's most violent city, with 159 murders for every 100,000 residents in 2011."

"These threats have increased substantially over the past several years, and incidents can occur anywhere," it said in a travel warning, saying that drug trafficking groups and crime gangs are active throughout the country.

Since January 2010, 24 US nationals have been murdered in Honduras, and none of the cases have been solved, it said.